I think most of us don't "hook" the rebar any more because it makes it very hard to pound in. 18in should be just fine. Bring bottles, tennis balls, or something to put over the exposed rebar (I prefer pool noodles) in order to avoid shin injuries.

Mojojita wrote:I think most of us don't "hook" the rebar any more because it makes it very hard to pound in.

That's because you have to kink it like a check-mark, not bend it like a candy-cane. I did some experiments with making a bending tool but found that rebar would snap before it bent tight enough. I don't have a beefy enough torch handy to soften it enough to bend properly. I started using round steel stock that I had lying around.

So I have this round tent - the Soulpad 3000-hybrid - it has a total of 10 guy wires. If I did use the 12" galvanized nails - how would that work? I tie knots to the nails and then hammer down? They came with metal stakes (kinda like V stakes) - 10-12 inches in length

Well, this ain't a cheap solution, but I'm having rebar stakes made. #4, which is 1/2", rebar is about $6/20' piece. You can cut it yourself or have it cut, usually for about $.50/cut. Then I take it to a local steel fabricator who will bend it, heating it with a torch, into pretty close to right angle bends. These are easy to pound in, and can be removed with vice grips with a twisting and pulling motion. Don't know how big a structure this will keep down, but I'm going with 16" for my North Pole Party Shade. I suppose bigger things might take fatter or longer stakes. Our small tents have stayed down with 12" stakes. I like the right angle bends because you can pound them all the way in, so you don't have to put anything on them, like tennis balls. I also used 12" nail stakes like you get at camping supply stores. They have little clips on top to hold your rope and you can pound those all the way in, too. If you make rebar stakes, remember that if you want 12" into the playa you have to add the 1 1/2 angle top, so they are 13 1/2 before you bend them.

This is year #6 for me. Year #1 I secured my Coleman 11 X 12 tent with 6 24" rebar. I came back after after a couple of hours right after a big blow to find every piece of rebar intact, but the tent was shredded. So it ain't always what you secure it with, but how you protect it from the wind...like behind an RV or truck or several parked cars, etc.

Of course bigger structures need the heavier rebar simply because the tension on the guys is so much greater...but a camping tent...the 10" nails do just fine. You can also get 10" tent nails http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___23017 at most camping supply stores......the end caps have holes for securing lines as well as a hook. They pound flush to the ground so no tripping injuries. They come cheaper at other stores than the ones illustrated here.

Don't bore your friends with all your troubles. Tell your enemies instead, for they will delight in hearing about them.

Sillytwin- one other thing to think about. The guy lines from your tent go way out- you're going to want to make sure you have some sort of lights on them at night so that no-one (including yourself) goes stumbling over them & takes your tent down as well. Figure it will happen & plan accordingly, don't think it won't & not be ready for it.

It's a camping trip in the desert, not the redemption of the fallen world - Cryptofishist

Sillytwin wrote:This is my first year at Burning Man and am EXCITED! I practiced building our canvas tent in my backyard this past weekend. I was wondering if 18 inch HOOK rebar is ok to secure the tent? I have read that 24 or 36 inches is recommended, but was wondering if 18 inches is ok?

Sillytwin wrote:This is my first year at Burning Man and am EXCITED! I practiced building our canvas tent in my backyard this past weekend. I was wondering if 18 inch HOOK rebar is ok to secure the tent? I have read that 24 or 36 inches is recommended, but was wondering if 18 inches is ok?

Sure.

Be sure to bring appropriate tools for hammering it into the ground. A smallish sledge hammer should do. But not the kind of hammer you use on nails.

BTW, as for bending the stuff, I just place it over a bench vice and bend it twice. I end up with a big staple that's 16" on each end with about a hand width in between. It's pretty good.. not perfect but nobody can hurt themselves on it and it's pretty sturdy. I just staple my 16 ft dome to the ground and it doesn't move an inch.

Rebar is a great material with a lot of surface area and pull out strength. I've used it for monkey hut structures. It's cheap, available at home despot, where they have non-OSHA rebar caps which you need to secure to 3/8 and 1/2 diameters because they will pop and blow off.

For tents, I would strongly recommend hot galvanized roofing nails from the local home despot. They are 12", easily drivable, removable, cheap, and don't ankle wound. You can easily drive them to the ground then claw lever them out. Suggest a #5 hammer for driving and a large claw hammer or wide enough jaw crowbar and bracing block to remove.

There are many more around the home uses later for 12" nails than candy cane rebar, in my experience.

(But wait...doesn't this mean they're going to have to gift their wares? And if they're giving IT away, doesn't that mean they're not hookers...which means there are not going to be any hookers at Burning Man..*sob*).

Don't bore your friends with all your troubles. Tell your enemies instead, for they will delight in hearing about them.

(But wait...doesn't this mean they're going to have to gift their wares? And if they're giving IT away, doesn't that mean they're not hookers...which means there are not going to be any hookers at Burning Man..*sob*).

He's broken.. You broke his poor mind... It's okay dragonpilot. It's good to share. Even if there's no hookers I'm sure everything will be just fine.

(But wait...doesn't this mean they're going to have to gift their wares? And if they're giving IT away, doesn't that mean they're not hookers...which means there are not going to be any hookers at Burning Man..*sob*).

(But wait...doesn't this mean they're going to have to gift their wares? And if they're giving IT away, doesn't that mean they're not hookers...which means there are not going to be any hookers at Burning Man..*sob*).

(But wait...doesn't this mean they're going to have to gift their wares? And if they're giving IT away, doesn't that mean they're not hookers...which means there are not going to be any hookers at Burning Man..*sob*).